A comparison of the behavioral rating accuracy of groups and individuals

Abstract

Recent efforts to improve the accuracy of performance appraisal ratings have concentrated on individuals, with little attention given to the role groups might play as performance raters. Thus, the goal of this study was to compare the behavioral rating accuracy of groups vs individuals. Using a behavioral checklist, 191 Ss rated the behavior of a police officer individually or in 4-person groups. Ratings were made immediately or after a 5-day delay. Measures of memory sensitivity and decision criteria indicated that in the delayed rating condition, groups remembered the behaviors more accurately than did individuals, whereas in the immediate rating condition, groups and individuals did not differ. However, groups also demonstrated greater response bias, adopting a more liberal decision criterion than individuals. Results suggest that groups can be a help, but they are not a panacea for the problems of rating accuracy. (PsycInfo Database Record (c) 2025 APA, all rights reserved)